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Anna Lor Personal Statement

This quote reflects my personal experiences that motivated me to enter the field of

dietetics. “We struggle with eating healthily, obesity, and access to good nutrition for everyone.

But we have a great opportunity to get on the right side of this battle by beginning to think

differently about the way that we eat and the way that we approach food.” Born into an Asian

household that consumed mainly rice, pork, beef or chicken, I have always struggled to consume

a variety of nutrients. This led me to reflect on why the Asian population is at such risk for

diseases such as cancer, heart disease, and diabetes. Having said this, my desire to become a

dietitian was formed by my own health journey and a series of events that sparked my passion

and drive for understanding human health and pursuing the human nutrition and dietetics major.

My clinical experiences at Summerstone Rehabilitation center, Morning Irving View

Assisted living, and Wake Forest Baptist Health Medical Center has given me the chance to learn

about different health diets, develop an awareness of nutritional needs, and handle food safely. It

was also during this time that I was able to develop more cultural nutrition awareness, which

built a strong foundation for my knowledge of nutrition concerns and problems of patients who

were diagnosed with a variety of diseases. One experience, in particular, had allowed me to work

with an individual suffering from type 2 diabetes, dysphagia, impaired sight, and mobility. This

was a unique and complicated situation that challenged me to do well under pressure, identify

correct diets for patients, and help with the feeding of patients. However, the numerous food

rounds with dietitians and feedback from my supervisor had prepared me for this caseload, and I

was successfully able to demonstrate my ability to understand proper nutritional care in order to

serve a patient with a particular diet and needs.

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I have taken valuable leadership roles in different settings of my life in which I have

exhibited self-determination and a strong ability to effectively collaborate with others. A role that

I took on after one year of volunteer service was an internship for the World Relief Triad in the

Health and Wellness Department. During this time, I quickly learned how to be an effective

leader, while also continuing to be a helpful and reliable friend to refugee clients. Effective time

management, planning projects, motivating clients, and demonstrating positive attitudes were

skills that I improved on throughout my experience with the site. The clients shared many of

their experiences with nutritional change when arriving in the United States, which I was able to

build my understanding of through my own cultural nutrition values. By utilizing these skills, I

was able to assist my supervisor to lead and teach a nutrition class tailored toward a specific

needs like focusing on healthy options for refugees.

Through the experiences I have gained from the different positions I have taken, I believe

I have achieved my goal of making myself a competitive candidate. Perseverance and dedication

are two of my greatest strengths. When I set a goal, I do all I can to achieve it. I also consider

myself to be a very compassionate, organized and conscientious individual keeping on top of my

daily tasks and reaching my goals. I became a role model for many refugees, teaching and

tutoring the importance of health and nutrition to help create future healthier generations through

nutrition for children and their families. In addition to being a full-time student, Olympic

Weightlifter, and World Relief volunteer, I was accepted into the World Relief Internship

program. Alongside my strengths, I have weaknesses that could be improved. An area that I

continually strive to improve is controlling my nerves when public speaking. As I have presented

more throughout school, internships, and my current job, I am becoming more comfortable in

front of audiences, and continue to work on becoming more confident in my speaking abilities.
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Lastly, I am often described as reserved when I first meet someone new. However, I am far from

shy. I am a great listener and often tend to process information internally, which some people

may interpret as being quiet.

In the short-term, I am looking for an internship experience that can help me grow, learn,

and narrow down the ways in which I can best contribute to the profession of dietetics. In being a

registered dietitian, I want to promote nutrition education for minority populations and be a

source of positivity for individuals, the public, and institutions alike that need the services of a

dietitian. Moreover, I have a special interest in cultural meanings and traditions around food after

my internship experience with various refugee groups. In the long term, I would like to work

with other health professionals to provide nutrition access and knowledge to people. This could

be through private practice, large health institution, or community. Overall, I am excited by the

possibilities that this profession provides, and I am determined to become a confident, capable,

and inspirational individual that is prepared to serve the nutritional and health needs of patients.